Food & Drink
Our Favorite Sushi Spots
Where to score the best sushi in town
By Jessica Yadegaran, Chelsea Lin and Cynthia Nims; with additional reporting by Haley Durslag June 13, 2016
This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of Seattle magazine.
With the opening of a few buzzed-about sushi restaurants in the past six months on top of our already stellar lineup, Seattle’s foodies are spending a lot of time talking about raw fish. And why not? We’re positioned ideally to enjoy imports such as tuna and mackerel, as well as locally fished salmon, spot prawns, geoduck and more.
From offerings of fanciful rolls to simple sashimi, here are our favorite sushi spots.
Sushi Kashiba
Pike Place Market, 86 Pine St., Suite 1; 206.441.8844; sushikashiba.com
> If ever there was a place to drop a Benjamin (or more) on an omakase (chef’s choice), it is sushi master Shiro Kashiba’s gorgeous new space. Worth every penny.
Sushi Wataru
Ravenna, 2400 NE 65th St.; 206.525.2073; wataruseattle.com
> Kotaro Kumita’s first solo project is a win for the neighborhood—an intimate, cozy environment to enjoy no-frills sushi and delightfully little else.
Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar
Downtown, 815 Pine St.; 206.402.4414; sanseiseattle.com
> This buzzworthy Hawaiian import opened in February, drawing attention from locals who, while visiting the islands, have sampled (and loved) the innovative rolls, such as the panko-crusted fresh tuna sashimi, and Pacific Rim–influenced seafood dishes.
Sushi Kappo Tamura
Eastlake, 2968 Eastlake Ave. E; 206.547.0937; sushikappotamura.com
> Seasonal produce and local, sustainable seafood play starring roles at this critically lauded upscale, modern restaurant, where an open kitchen gives diners the chance to watch chef Taichi Kitamura work.
Nishino
Madison Park, 3130 E Madison St.; 206.322.5800; nishinorestaurant.com
> This 20-plus-year-old gem comes through for consistently well-executed Japanese dishes—from nigiri and maki to udon and tempura—and expert service.
Mashiko
West Seattle, 4725 California Ave. SW; 206.935.4339; mashikorestaurant.com
> The city’s only fully sustainable sushi joint may be a little quirky—one of the “rules” is that chef Hajime Sato gets to choose the music—but it also offers one of the most affordable omakase options, starting at $70 for two people.
Blue C Sushi
University Village, 2675 Village Lane NE; 206.525.4601; bluecsushi.com
> For a family-friendly sushi meal, no one does the convenient conveyor-belt style better than this newly remodeled location of the local chain, which features a secondary track running hot gyoza and tempura from the kitchen right to your table.
Momiji
Capitol Hill, 1522 12th Ave.; 206.457.4068; momijiseattle.com
> Capitalizing on the neighborhood nightlife, this trendy eatery offers an extensive selection of sake by the glass and shochu cocktails to complement the menu of more than 50 different rolls.
Maneki
Chinatown/International District, 304 Sixth Ave. S; 206.622.2631; manekirestaurant.com
> The city’s oldest sushi restaurant has been serving fresh, raw seafood (and even steak, if you’re into that) to loyal fans for more than 100 years. It’s still worth a visit.
Follow Us
Seattle’s Most Exciting Restaurant Openings
Check out these four new restaurants as the weather heats up
[addtoany]As Seattle warms up to summer weather, so too does the restaurant scene, with a bunch of exciting restaurant openings this month and next — some already in soft opening and waiting for you to come sample creative Vietnamese food and crunch through Lebanese tacos. Lupe’s Situ Tacos Opening mid-May A pandemic pop-up that spent…
‘10 Things I Hate About You’ Turns 25
Tour 10 locations from the iconic '90s movie filmed in Seattle and Tacoma
Released 25 years ago in 1999, 10 Things I Hate About You perfectly encapsulates the '90s and stands out as an excellent adaptation of Shakespeare. It’s Heath Ledger’s American debut and a travel postcard from Seattle and Tacoma to the world. So, get those cameras ready and crank up Letters to Cleo — let’s hit the
Uncommon Thinkers: Sam Cho
Director, Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Mayor. Commissioner, Port of Seattle
Not many can say they were elected to public office before the age of 30. Fewer can still say that, by the time they did so, they'd founded and sold a business. #UncommonThinkersWelcome Photo by Andrew Ge